Bellator FCBellator MMA (Bellator) is the 2nd largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion in the USA and the largest tournament-based MMA organization in the world. Headquartered in Newport Beach, California, the company was formed in 2008 by Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. Bellator’s events are primarily structured around tournaments. The tournament winner is declared the number one contender in their respective weight class, and is awarded a check for $100,000 and a shot at the reigning Bellator champion. Bellator uses the motto “The Toughest Tournament In Sports” Bellator FC now airs on Spike TV Thursday nights!

Cole Konrad spends an alarmingly small amount of time worrying about MMA. Well, outside the cage, anyway.

While the Bellator heavyweight champion slowly moves up the heavyweight rankings – and looks for his ninth win in nine pro fights when he meets Eric Prindle tonight at Bellator 70 – he actually pays little attention to the sport.

In fact, until a friend told him about it, he had no idea the UFC even was hosting an all-heavyweights pay-per-view card this weekend.

The heavyweights take center stage at UFC 146, which features nothing but heavyweights on the five-fight main card. But a day before that Memorial Day weekend blockbuster – which includes four top-10 heavyweights – Konrad (8-0 MMA, 6-0 BFC) and Prindle (7-1 MMA, 3-0 BFC) tangle in a five-round title fight at tonight's MTV2-televised Bellator 70 show at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.

Konrad is knocking on the top 10's door, so UFC 146 could impact his own stature in the sport.

Not that he's interested, though.

"To be totally honest, I didn't even know about it until a friend mentioned it," Konrad told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) earlier this week. "So will I be watching it? Probably not. I usually only watch if I have a buddy fighting, and I don't know of anyone fighting, so I probably won't be watching.

"I'm not saying I don't have time for it. I just don't want to consume my brain with that. I'd rather just worry about myself and get my crap done."

Konrad, specifically, has reasons to unplug from the day-to-day MMA news and analysis machine. The two-time NCAA Division I national wrestling style brings a dominant and smothering fight style to the game. It's effective – in 16 rounds under the Bellator banner, Konrad's never unanimously lost a single one – but as other collegiate standouts have found, it's not always a hit with fans.

But shouldn't that dominance still count for something?

"In my mind, it does," he said. "I don't care how you win – it's that you win. I don't worry about knockouts or submissions necessarily. I just look to dominate every minute of every round. If it ends early, great. If not, I don't care as long as I win every round."

Still, he knows the criticism is out there. As heavy-handed big men such as UFC champion Junior Dos Santos, ex-champ Cain Velasquez and rising contenders Dave Herman and Stipe Moicic have shown the ability to end a fight in dramatic fashion with a single punch, Konrad grinds away on the mat, where he believes he has the best chance at victory.

"I don't watch TV, I don't surf on the Internet, and I don't read magazines," he said. "I don't see any of it. I don't care what people say about it."

Besides, the 28-year-old Konrad is a mere two-and-a-half years into his pro career. Picking up wins over veterans such as Paul Buentello (29-15), Neil Grove (11-6-1) and Damian Grabowski (16-1) already in his career is certainly a resume-builder.

But as Konrad progresses, he knows he's going to face the same criticism that's met other Bellator notables such as Eddie Alvarez, Michael Chandler and Hector Lombard (who recently signed with the UFC). Until he fights the best, the critics often say, he can't be considered one of the best.

In time, though, Konrad thinks those fights will happen.

"We're going to meet up somewhere, somehow," he said. "The chips will fall where they may, but I think eventually I will butt heads with the guys."

But would he need to move to the UFC to make that happen? Not necessarily, he said. While the promotion draws a fraction of the UFC's ratings on its current MTV2 home, Bellator makes a long-awaited move to Spike TV (the UFC's longtime former home) next year.

Additionally, Viacom, which recently purchased a controlling stake of the fight promotion, has already committed a number of resources to seeing through Bellator's success.

So give both Konrad and Bellator a little time, and he thinks the MMA landscape could change substantially.

"I really think there's a change going on in MMA," he said. "As Bellator continues to grow, people will understand what they do and that they have world-class fighters too. ... As it stands now, yes the UFC is the most popular and most dominant promotion in the world. But I think as Bellator continues to gain ground, there could be a little shift in the tide.

"I'm not going to say it's going to flip-flop or anything like that, but I think over time, it can be in the same ballpark."

lmao, Bellator, much as I enjoy it, is only ever going to be a blip on the radar.

I think it's great that there are other choices, but Bellator is to UFC what TNA is to WWE (apologies for the wrestling analogy). It'll likely always be around, but there will never be a 'change in tide'.

What I don't get about Cole Konrad is why he doesn't get himself in better shape. The man has Bitch Tits... I know he's strong and talented..But there is no way he's giving it 100% to his diet. Bottom line is the dude is walking around with about 25-28% body fat....

What I don't get about Cole Konrad is why he doesn't get himself in better shape. The man has Bitch Tits... I know he's strong and talented..But there is no way he's giving it 100% to his diet. Bottom line is the dude is walking around with about 25-28% body fat....

He's looked that way since probably before his NCAA days. Doesn't really matter to him I guess. Him and his bitch tits had no problem winning two NCAA D1 titles and a gold medal at the 2005 Pan Ams

I mean, there are a few great HWs that don't have the most impressive physiques but are totally awesome. Daniel Cormier is a great example, Fedor was also

He's looked that way since probably before his NCAA days. Doesn't really matter to him I guess. Him and his bitch tits had no problem winning two NCAA D1 titles and a gold medal at the 2005 Pan Ams

I mean, there are a few great HWs that don't have the most impressive physiques but are totally awesome. Daniel Cormier is a great example, Fedor was also

Cormier and Fedor are not big fat sloppy looking men. In fact Konrad looks way worse then Big Country. There is No reason to cut from 300+lbs when it's just pure fat and big Boobies.. I'm disgusted by his overall makeup of a man...He'll most likeely have diabetes or a stroke before 45 years old..

Cormier and Fedor are not big fat sloppy looking men. In fact Konrad looks way worse then Big Country. There is No reason to cut from 300+lbs when it's just pure fat and big Boobies.. I'm disgusted by his overall makeup of a man...He'll most likeely have diabetes or a stroke before 45 years old..

It could also be a matter of genetics. Some people have very slow metabolisms.

But when it comes down to it, that extra weight and his "sloppy" image really don't seem to affect his performance in the least bit.

Fedor has always had a bit of a gut, because he admits that he loves eating ice cream often